At age 32, coming off a broken arm this season and a broken leg the previous year, he doesn’t have his eye on a rocking chair just yet.

“As of right now I’m a Detroit Lion, it looks like I’ll be a Detroit Lion, I’m going to retire a Detroit Lion,’’ Burleson said on Monday. “The plan is to retire on a high note and try to help bring a championship to the city.’’

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One thing he know is he will have to re-negotiate his contract which would pay him $5.5 million next season.

He hasn’t not talked to general manager Martin Mayhew yet, but seems optimistic about his return.

“We have a good time frame of when we’re going to talk. looks like everything is going to fall into place,’’ the 32-year-old Burleson said during an appearance at Walmart as a spokesman for Defeat Hunger Bowl.

He’s not sure how much football he has left, but he’s quite certain he’s not ready for retirement.

“I don’t know, I only played half a year and put up 40 catches, I figure a full season Nate Burleson stays healthy I can be productive and give you about 80 catches and I’m not going to retire from getting 80 catches,’’ Burleson said. “We’ll see, maybe one or two years. It all depends on what we bring back to the city. The sooner we get a Super Bowl in Detroit, the sooner I can consider retirement.’’

Burleson also weighed in on a few other topics:

— On new coach Jim Caldwell, Burleson said: “ I just know him from a distance — him being a good coach, he has a good record as a head coach. I like his demeanor, I’ve seen his interviews. I feel like he’s a great fit for this team.’’

— On Calvin Johnson’s injured finger: Burleson can’t remember when Johnson’s injured finger was straight like his other nine.

“It was a while, I don’t remember it being normal, a couple years. He couldn’t straighten it. So basically he was catching the ball with nine fingers,’’ Burleson said on Monday at an appearance for the Defeat Hunger Bowl at Walmart.

After Johnson’s finger surgery, he sent Burleson a text complete with photo.
“First of all he never texts anybody he’s the worst,’’ Burleson said. “He sent out this Freddy Krueger Saw 6 pictures. It was dee-sgusting. it was literally the worst thing I’ve ever seen. It was gross.

“I’m glad that his finger is better. We had a lot of jokes that we poured down on him about that afflicted finger,’’ Burleson said.

Johnson didn’t look like himself in more than a few games last season with more drops than usual.

Now we know why. What we don’t know is why it took so long to have the finger surgically repaired.

Johnson also has had minor knee surgery since the season ended.

— On the tons of criticism on Matthew Stafford: “I think that’s unfair. One thing people have to understand, the criticism Matt has gotten from people he criticizes himself even more. He is a professional athlete. He understands he gets paid a lot of money to be successful. So he’s one of his biggest critics, he’s going to get better.

“Like I said before, you can’t blame one guy for the mistakes of the season. We had mistakes on both sides of the ball even includes special teams. To pour down on Matt and give him unjust criticism it just isn’t fair. Everybody had their fair share of mistakes this year, it was a team effort which is why we didn’t do what we needed to do at the end of the season. You can’t blame one guy.’’

— On helping out in Detroit: Burleson has adopted this city even though he has played here just four seasons.

He has made appearances on the NFL Network during the offseason, but on Monday spoke at a Walmart on behalf of the Defeat Hunger Bowl.

“This city, I love Detroit. I’m not from here I feel like I’m an adopted son and they’ve given me so much. I meet people on a daily basis and they embrace me like no other. For me to get involved in something as powerful as to feed families, no question.

“I’m going toward the end of my career and you hope people know you for more than just being a ball player. I guess the more you can do the better not only for the city but for my spirit as well. If somebody sees me I hope they identify Nate Burleson with the number on my back, the plays I make but also the things I do in the city of Detroit. I’m trying to establish something that will last a lifetime so when I’m not in Detroit I can come back to the city and get involved in events that are going to make powerful impacts in people’s lives.’’